Preview — Wishful Drinking
by Carrie Fisher

Wishful Drinking

In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. "But it isn't all sweetness and light sabres." Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace haiIn Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher tells the true and intoxicating story of her life with inimitable wit. Born to celebrity parents, she was picked to play a princess in a little movie called Star Wars when only 19 years old. "But it isn't all sweetness and light sabres." Alas, aside from a demanding career and her role as a single mother (not to mention the hyperspace hairdo), Carrie also spends her free time battling addiction, weathering the wild ride of manic depression and lounging around various mental institutions. It's an incredible tale—from having Elizabeth Taylor as a stepmother, to marrying (and divorcing) Paul Simon, from having the father of her daughter leave her for a man, to ultimately waking up one morning and finding a friend dead beside her in bed....more

Cat (Tackfiction)Not sure if there's any specifically for this book but there's a 'book club' on Facebook called 'page habit book club' where people post everyday -…moreNot sure if there's any specifically for this book but there's a 'book club' on Facebook called 'page habit book club' where people post everyday - Could always ask there! (less)

Community Reviews

When the original Star Wars trilogy came out, I was too young to have nurtured any grotty, pubescent fantasies about Princess Leia (though I guess by the time of Return of the Jedi, I was old enough to be confusedly excited by those harem scenes with Jabba the Hutt). But now that I’ve read Wishful Drinking, I kind of want Carrie Fisher for my girlfriend. Except that she’s my mother’s age. And she’s a recovering alcoholic/drug addict with bipolar disorder and a lavishly messed-up family. Other thWhen the original Star Wars trilogy came out, I was too young to have nurtured any grotty, pubescent fantasies about Princess Leia (though I guess by the time of Return of the Jedi, I was old enough to be confusedly excited by those harem scenes with Jabba the Hutt). But now that I’ve read Wishful Drinking, I kind of want Carrie Fisher for my girlfriend. Except that she’s my mother’s age. And she’s a recovering alcoholic/drug addict with bipolar disorder and a lavishly messed-up family. Other than that, though, she’s really great: she’s smart as a whip, wickedly funny and she swears like a teamster, whatever that is.

All the same, I definitely wouldn’t want her for a daughter, or even a distant cousin. When it comes to her family’s dirty laundry—of which there are piles and piles lying around, hopelessly soiled—she’s not what you’d call the soul of discretion:

My father is beyond likeable. I mean you would just love him. My father also smokes four joints a day. Not for medical reasons. So I call him Puff Daddy. But he is just adorable. There’s a reason he got all that high-quality pussy—except for the Miss Louisiana thing, and anyone can make one mistake.

How often do you find the word ‘father’ and the phrase ‘high-quality pussy’ in the same paragraph? Right, not very. And it takes a special kind of daughter to describe her mother’s sexual orientation in the following terms: ‘Not that it matters, but my mother is not a lesbian. She’s just a really, really bad heterosexual.’

I’m not exactly up on Hollywood tell-alls, so maybe I’m overlooking some classics of the genre, but I don’t imagine there’d be that many celebrities out there who are blessed with either Fisher’s command of the American vernacular or her healthy perspective on her own fame:

Speaking of graves, I tell my younger friends that one day they’ll be at a bar playing pool and they’ll look up at the television set and there will be a picture of Princess Leia with two dates underneath, and they’ll say “awww—she said that would happen.” And they’ll go back to playing pool.

Or there's this:

You know what’s funny about death? I mean other than absolutely nothing at all? You’d think we could remember finding out we weren’t immortal. Sometimes I see children sobbing in airports and I think, “Aww. They’ve just been told.”

See, that’s clever, but isn't it also just the teensiest bit profound? Okay, not Schopenhauer profound, but still.

Wishful Drinking is fluff, I guess, in the sense that it won’t change your life or even your lunch break. But it’s good, witty fluff. True, Fisher’s relentless wisecracking starts to sound needy and defensive after a while—he said, casually lobbing a rock from his glass house—but I think it’s to her credit that, despite her freakish Hollywood existence, she’s still human enough to laugh at herself. Come to think of it, what could be more freakish than that: a human being in Hollywood? It must get awfully lonely for her. ...more

Carrie Fisher's ever-present sarcasm rubbed me the wrong way. It was entertaining in the beginning but does one need to be sarcastic 24/7 to be funny? NO. I especially don't recommend the audiobook. Also, while this is shocking at times, it is not very insightful or meaningful. But, well, R.I.P. Carrie Fisher.

Audiobook - Library Overdrive- I downloaded this on a whim - it was available. I think this is the shortest Audiobook I’ve ever listened to - yet many topics are covered.

There was a lot I didn’t know - including that Carrie Fisher was married - not long - to Paul Simon. Actually there was a lot I didn’t know — I didn’t follow any news about Princess Leia from Star Wars. I knew nothing about her childhood - her absent father - her history with drugs - her history with a variety of psychiatristsAudiobook - Library Overdrive- I downloaded this on a whim - it was available. I think this is the shortest Audiobook I’ve ever listened to - yet many topics are covered.

There was a lot I didn’t know - including that Carrie Fisher was married - not long - to Paul Simon. Actually there was a lot I didn’t know — I didn’t follow any news about Princess Leia from Star Wars. I knew nothing about her childhood - her absent father - her history with drugs - her history with a variety of psychiatrists and different therapies including shock therapy -

Her memoir — which was adapted from one of her stage shows- gives us a panoramic view of what Carrie Fisher’s life was like : EXTREME HIGHS and EXTREME LOWS....NOT LIKE MOST CHILDREN’S growing years — -with Debbie Reynolds as her mother and growing up with ‘stars’ as family friends. So sad for the lost of both Carrie and Debbie Reynolds.

I laughed at how much I understood from Carries point of view - that when she watched “The Father’s Knows Best” show.....she thought THAT was what ALL NORMAL families were like ( since she soon figured out her life wasn’t normal) .... Ha!....As if the “The Father’s Knows Best” TV Show represented reality. I wished it did.

This quote of Carries speaks volumes: “If my life wasn’t funny it would just be true, and that would be unacceptable”.

Great audiobook! Beautiful tribute to Carry Fisher. I fell in love with her myself. ...more

Turning to the first of her short memoirs, I was faced with some of Carrie Fisher's most interesting sentiments and humorous anecdotes detailing a life about which I knew very little. Fisher adds as an opening disclaimer that she underwent electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), which erased some of her past memories, so things within these pages might not be as clear or succinct as their actual occurrences. Born in the worst possible situation, the offspring of two Hollywood stars, Carrie Fisher founTurning to the first of her short memoirs, I was faced with some of Carrie Fisher's most interesting sentiments and humorous anecdotes detailing a life about which I knew very little. Fisher adds as an opening disclaimer that she underwent electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), which erased some of her past memories, so things within these pages might not be as clear or succinct as their actual occurrences. Born in the worst possible situation, the offspring of two Hollywood stars, Carrie Fisher found herself in the middle of the most complex family tree imaginable. With Eddie Fisher (an apparently famous crooner of the 1950s) and Debbie Reynolds (famous Hollywood starlet at a young age) as parents, Fisher was forced to live in their blinding glory and make a name for herself. However, as with many star-studded couples, her parents moved on to bigger and better things, leaving her as a child of divorce. Does she use this excuse to explain away her decision to turn to drugs and alcohol? Not at all, or at least no more than any other child. Fisher tells of a life both in Los Angeles and New York, following her mother along her successful but fading career before she ended up on the set of Star Wars at nineteen and carving out a name for herself. This single character (Princess Leia) has permeated Fisher's very being and she was forever unable to shake its presence. Pulling out some stories about her interactions with George Lucas to explain why wearing a bra on set would not make scientific sense, her brief marriage to Paul Simon, and eventually marrying a man who got her pregnant and eventually announced that he was gay, Fisher takes the reader through a whirlwind tour of some of her most memorable moments, all surrounding an ever-increasing dependence on pills, psychiatrists, and flashes of fame. An interesting smattering of thoughts and memories, instilled with enough humour to leave the reader feeling this is an extended comedy dialogue, Fisher presents something to tide the reader over between larger and more substantial reading assignments. Funny for what it is, but not a stellar piece for those seeking an in-depth exploration of Carrie Fisher's life.

Some might wonder why I am reading Carrie Fisher after I panned her two novels so recently. I knew what I was getting into with this book and it delivered precisely what I expected. While I might have preferred something more linear, I found myself interested in all the adventures, follies, and downright stupidity that crossed Fisher's path. I knew her only as Princess Leia (though I was not one to plaster posters upon my wall) and so all of this proved both intriguing and even a little entertaining. Fisher does not try to gussy up her writing or her stories. They are precisely as she remembers them, though she does remind the reader of her ECT throughout the piece, which acts as a means to understand some of the more random commentaries found herein. Engaging and even a little provocative, Fisher serves her purpose by presenting this piece, the first in what became a series. We shall see what else comes to pass as the Force flows through me for the other two memoir-ish publications.

Kudos, Madam Fisher for entertaining and intriguing me. A nice appetizer before I delve into a month of hard-going biographies

Like most boys popping wood for the first time in the late '70s and early '80s, I had a "healthy" interest in Princess Leia Carrie Fisher.

Later in life, whenever I've seen one of her books on the shelves, I'd think about possibly reading it, out of interest for what she might have to say regarding those iconic Star Wars movies. I even gave a little shit about what she's been up to since then. Call it a passing fancy, one that I've passed up time and again for year upon year, right up until receLike most boys popping wood for the first time in the late '70s and early '80s, I had a "healthy" interest in Princess Leia Carrie Fisher.

Later in life, whenever I've seen one of her books on the shelves, I'd think about possibly reading it, out of interest for what she might have to say regarding those iconic Star Wars movies. I even gave a little shit about what she's been up to since then. Call it a passing fancy, one that I've passed up time and again for year upon year, right up until recently when I found the audiobook version of Wishful Drinking at the library. It was free, I had it in hand and yet still I hesitated and would not have bothered with it except that it is quite short. I wish I'd put it back on the shelf.

Three hours of listening to anyone famous and privileged talking about their problems is three hours too long. Add to that Fisher's tendency to shout, as if saying it louder makes it funnier. I blame "Laugh In"-era Goldie Hawn for this.

Negatives aside, Fisher's humor is one of the book's saving graces. She's gone beyond the "woe is me" stage, attained the "let's get our skeletons out of the closet" stage, and she handles it with laughter.

However, it's a sense of humor that is as dark as the undertones and somewhat depressing subject matter of the entire book. From start to finish, nearly everything within Wishful Drinking is about her struggles with depression, mental illness and substance abuse. It's a hard-knock life. Fisher's taken her knocks and here they are all laid out for you to read. I'm not sure I would recommend it.

WISHFUL DRINKING is a short, but interesting memoir surrounding Carrie Fisher's life growing up in a celebrity household, (parents Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher) her addictions, electroshock therapy, bipolar disorder and after effects of playing Princess Leia in the epic STAR WARS saga.

Written with sarcastic humor and wit, gotta give her credit for laying it all out there, and persevering to overcome her demons.

Hilarious! Of course I know Carrie Fisher from her Star Wars fame and knew she had written some books. But I had no clue how funny she was. Her writing is so casual—especially listening to the audiobook which she narrates, it feels like a close friend telling you stories of her life—but she has a depth and sophistication which is unmatched by many celebrity memoirs. I wish this had been ten times as long! I could listen to her for hours and hours. Definitely going to check out more of her books,Hilarious! Of course I know Carrie Fisher from her Star Wars fame and knew she had written some books. But I had no clue how funny she was. Her writing is so casual—especially listening to the audiobook which she narrates, it feels like a close friend telling you stories of her life—but she has a depth and sophistication which is unmatched by many celebrity memoirs. I wish this had been ten times as long! I could listen to her for hours and hours. Definitely going to check out more of her books, especially on audio if she reads them. Loved this....more

The sad thing about this book is that my favorite part was the cover. I mean, that's a brilliant cover!

But overall? Not the book I was hoping for. Fisher seems to have mostly transcribed her one-woman show, and the problem is, what works for a performance doesn't hold up very well as a book. Everything's sort of glossed over with self-deprecating jokes, and there's not a real sense of narrative or much in the way of self-reflection. I didn't really want a celebrity tell-all, but I would really bThe sad thing about this book is that my favorite part was the cover. I mean, that's a brilliant cover!

But overall? Not the book I was hoping for. Fisher seems to have mostly transcribed her one-woman show, and the problem is, what works for a performance doesn't hold up very well as a book. Everything's sort of glossed over with self-deprecating jokes, and there's not a real sense of narrative or much in the way of self-reflection. I didn't really want a celebrity tell-all, but I would really be interested in what Fisher really thinks and feels about her struggles with addiction, mental illness, and the bizarreness of her fame. Instead, I mostly got a lot of jokes about how it's weird when guys talk about jacking off to Princess Leia. It seemed like whenever she got too close to something painful, it was danced around or told in such a way that felt like she was saying, "Ok, told you about that, got it out of the way, so there." There is some genuinely interesting and affecting material here, but it's hard to find, which is really disappointing....more

This book is (more or less) the written version of Carrie Fisher's stage production "Wishful Drinking."

Carrie is probably best known for her role as the beautiful, intrepid 'Princess Leia" in the Star Wars movies. Carrie was 19 when the first movie filmed and - perhaps coincidentally - this was when the actress transitioned from habitually smoking pot to using hallucinogens and opiates. In time Carrie became a drug-addicted alcoholic with manic-depressive disorder (bipolar disorder 2).3.5 stars

This book is (more or less) the written version of Carrie Fisher's stage production "Wishful Drinking."

Carrie is probably best known for her role as the beautiful, intrepid 'Princess Leia" in the Star Wars movies. Carrie was 19 when the first movie filmed and - perhaps coincidentally - this was when the actress transitioned from habitually smoking pot to using hallucinogens and opiates. In time Carrie became a drug-addicted alcoholic with manic-depressive disorder (bipolar disorder 2). In this humorous mini-biography - written when Carrie was 52 - the actress relates her story.

Carrie was born a celebrity, being the child of actress/singer Debbie Reynolds and crooner Eddie Fisher. Debbie starred in iconic films like 'Singin' in the Rain' and Eddie has a long list of oldies, but is 'better known for his scandals than his singing.' In a bombshell incident reminiscent of Brad Pitt leaving Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie, Eddie Fisher left Debbie Reynolds for the gorgeous widow, Elizabeth Taylor.

As it happens Eddie also largely abandoned Carrie and her younger brother Todd. According to Carrie, Debbie raised the kids in Los Angeles and Eddie 'checked in from time to time' while flitting from one woman to another. Eventually, Eddie married a Chinese woman - Betty Lin - and after she died 'he started to date all of Chinatown.' Carrie notes that 'this was fitting because Eddie had gotten so many facelifts that he looked Asian himself.' LOL

Carrie sang in her mother's nightclub act from the ages of 13 to 17 and - as it happens - also started doing drugs at 13. Carrie got hold of a bag of pot and 'experimented her brains out' with a friend. Carrie started seeing shrinks at the age of 15.....but was not diagnosed as manic-depressive until years later. By that time Carrie was in her mid-20s, and heavily into alcohol and drugs. She used these 'to turn down the sound [in her head] and smooth her sharp corners.'

Carrie's second shrink diagnosed her with bipolar disorder 1 and gave her prescription medication - but Carrie didn't want to take it. Instead, the actress jumped on a plane, went to New York and married her boyfriend, singer/songwriter Paul Simon. Carrie notes that her first marriage mirrored her mother's first union - both Paul Simon and Eddie Fisher were 'short, Jewish singers.'

Carrie was in her late 20s when she overdosed and had her stomach pumped. Realizing that her life had become unmanageable, Carrie started attending 12-step programs....thinking alcohol was her big problem. Over the years Carrie had four relapses or 'explosions.' During these she would become sexually promiscuous, spend excessively, and abuse substances.

Finally, Carrie's third and best psychiatrist correctly diagnosed her with bipolar disorder 2, and medicated her. Unfortunately, two of the pharmaceuticals interacted badly and Carrie was taken off her meds. She ended up psychotic. This eventually led to eletroconvulsive therapy which helped Carrie get better - but robbed her of many memories. Luckily, Carrie had enough remembrances left to write this book.

Carrie notes: 'After all the rehabs and all the mental hospitals, I thought to myself, if what doesn't kill you makes you stronger I should be able to lift Cedars Sinai Hospital and glow in the dark.'

Interspersed with the tale of Carrie's addiction and mental illness are interesting snippets about her life. Here are a few examples:

Carrie's stepfather Harry Karl (Debbie's second husband) was not a handsome man, but was wealthy and well-groomed, said to be distinguished looking. Carrie notes, 'That's ugly with money.' To Carrie's amusement, the very handsome Alec Baldwin played Harry in a movie. LOL

Harry had a 'barber' (pimp) who showed up every day with a 'manicurist' (wink wink). When Debbie caught on to Harry's shenanigans she high-tailed it to New York with the children - to do a musical. The couple soon divorced.....but not before Harry squandered all of Debbie's money.

When Todd (Carrie's brother) accidently shot himself in the leg with a gun, Debbie called Carrie from the hospital with the following instructions: 'Rush home and hide all the guns and bullets and flush Todd's marijuana down the toilet. Carrie notes, 'More like a mafia family than a show business one.'

Carrie adored her mother. She describes Debbie as 'the prettiest, funniest, kindest mother; quick and witty; a consummate performer; and an insanely strong life force.....but a little bit eccentric.' Debbie thought Carrie should have a baby with her (Debbie's) third husband, Richard Hamlett, because he had 'nice eyes.' Carrie declined.

Carrie had a beautiful daughter, Billie, with her second husband Brian Lourd. When Billie was one, Brian left Carrie for a man named Scott. This devastated the actress.....and perhaps exacerbated her mental illness.

After Star Wars became a megahit, Carrie was 'merchandised' into a little doll, a shampoo bottle, a soap, a watch, a Mrs. Potato Head, a Lego figure, a stamp, and a Pez dispenser. Much to Carrie's dismay, she's even a sex doll. Carrie notes, 'If someone tells me to go fuck myself, I can give it a whirl.' Ha ha ha.

Towards the end of the book Carrie acknowledges, 'The place I've arrived at in my life isn't everyone's idea of heavenly....but I'm in a good place.' Both Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds died in December, 2016 and they're missed. Fortunately, we'll always have their stories and films.

The book is entertaining and amusing - and provides an instructive and uplifting story about coping with addiction and mental illness. If you're interested in the subject, it's well worth reading.

Wishful Drinking seems like it should be a story that wallows in sadness, but luckily it has a good balance of honesty and humor and breaks through the glamor of the acting world to share the story of a young single mother (who might be better recognized as Princess Leia from the Star Wars franchise) coping with alcoholism and mental illness in a world where such things are generally frowned upon. This is the kind of memoir that really sticks with you after you've read it, it isn't too self-induWishful Drinking seems like it should be a story that wallows in sadness, but luckily it has a good balance of honesty and humor and breaks through the glamor of the acting world to share the story of a young single mother (who might be better recognized as Princess Leia from the Star Wars franchise) coping with alcoholism and mental illness in a world where such things are generally frowned upon. This is the kind of memoir that really sticks with you after you've read it, it isn't too self-indulgent and it's a courageous story about the dysfunction behind Hollywood magic....more

You know those celebrity memoirs that are clearly ghostwritten, stilted, and pseudo-deep?

Yeah, this isn’t one of those. This is pure Carrie Fisher, demented and crooked and wise and bluntly funny and irreverent.

I really recommend listening to the audiobook. Carrie reads it herself and I think her delivery adds a lot. Plus, of course, it’s rather moving to hear her voice now, as if from the grave. The writing also sounds like something meant to be read aloud, very conversational.

She starts off wYou know those celebrity memoirs that are clearly ghostwritten, stilted, and pseudo-deep?

Yeah, this isn’t one of those. This is pure Carrie Fisher, demented and crooked and wise and bluntly funny and irreverent.

I really recommend listening to the audiobook. Carrie reads it herself and I think her delivery adds a lot. Plus, of course, it’s rather moving to hear her voice now, as if from the grave. The writing also sounds like something meant to be read aloud, very conversational.

She starts off with her incredibly wild childhood as the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. One memorable incident involved her teenage brother accidentally shooting himself in the leg, barely missing his penis, and getting his famous mother Debbie Reynolds arrested and booked for possession of an unlicensed firearm. Debbie then asked her daughter Carrie and her hairdresser Pinkie to go to their house and hide all the firearms and drugs before the police got there, all said in a Transatlantic accent peppered with lots of “dears.”

Carrie called her father Puff Daddy because he smoked 4 joints a day, and her mother bought both Carrie and her own mother (i.e. Carrie’s grandmother) vibrators for Christmas. If that doesn’t sum up her childhood, I don’t know what does.

Then she proceeds to go through her life as an adult, her fame (someone told her to go fuck herself, so she bought the Princess Leia sex doll and spent hours trying to fuck herself in a hotel room), her struggles with mental illness, and particularly her drug and alcohol dependence. Though it’s heavy material, the book itself is never heavy; Carrie intersperses it all with great humor.

Some memorable quotes I bookmarked:

“My mother thought it would be a good idea for me to have a child with her last husband Richard, because it would have nice eyes. My mother had gone through the change, so she could no longer have children, and Richard had no children of his own yet. And he had nice eyes. My womb was free, and we’re related. Now, my mother didn’t bring this up just once or twice like a normal mother would. She brought it up many many times, mostly while I was driving. And when I finally suggested to her that this might be an odd idea, she said, ‘Oh darling, have you read The Inquirer lately? We live in a very strange world.’ But when The Inquirer becomes your standard for living, you’re in a lot of trouble.”

“[That I just had to go to the AA meetings, but didn’t have to like them] was a revelation. I thought I had to like everything I did. And for me, that usually meant I had to take a boatload of dope. Which I did, for many many years. But if what this person told me were true, then I didn’t actually have to be comfortable all the time— if I could in fact learn to experience of quota of discomfort— it would be awesome news.”

“I basically just have too much personality for one person, and not quite enough for two.”

“Everything seems so much better when you’re infatuated with someone else, and you’re telling each other everything about yourself, like I’m a Libra, I like fireflies on a summer night, I like long moonlit walks on the beach on acid . . . ”

“You have to sign yourself into the mental hospital. Like commitment papers, I guess. But I was so far gone at the time I didn’t know what I was signing, or doing, so when they finally put the papers in front of me, I took the papers and signed with my left hand, ‘Shame.’ That’s how I signed in for the mental hospital. How sad is that?”

A memoir about drug abuse, sexual compulsion and manic depression shouldn't be this funny, but in Carrie Fisher's hands it's a laugh riot. Wishful Drinking ($21, Simon & Schuster) is slim, packed with photos and basically the script for her hit one-woman show of the same name. Fisher calls this book a "a really, really detailed personals ad," and covers everything from the dead, gay Republican in her bed (which was tabloid fodder for weeks in 2005), her missing-in-action, over-the-top parentA memoir about drug abuse, sexual compulsion and manic depression shouldn't be this funny, but in Carrie Fisher's hands it's a laugh riot. Wishful Drinking ($21, Simon & Schuster) is slim, packed with photos and basically the script for her hit one-woman show of the same name. Fisher calls this book a "a really, really detailed personals ad," and covers everything from the dead, gay Republican in her bed (which was tabloid fodder for weeks in 2005), her missing-in-action, over-the-top parents (Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher) and, of course, plenty of anecdotes about playing Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. I plowed through it in one evening, laughing out loud.

Fisher has a knack for making the heartbreaking hilarious and there's probably more truth packed into these 176 pages than found in other "memoirs" twice this size (Jane Fonda's bloated tome comes to mind). She talks honestly about her marriage to Paul Simon, her second husband who left her for a man, her father's womanizing (most notoriously leaving Debbie Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor after her third husband, Mike Todd, was killed in a plane crash), and her electroconvulsive therapy, which she says has done her more good than a dozen shrinks and their pills. Her recollections of Debbie are endearing and juicy, including her gift of a vibrator to 15-year-old Carrie and having Cary Grant call her daughter not once, but twice to talk about the dangers of dropping acid.

Perhaps the most hilarious chapter in the book is Carrie's diagram of her whacked out family tree (complete with photos and linking arrows) as she tries to figure out if her teenage daughter is committing incest by dating Elizabeth Taylor's grandson. I actually wish I'd bought the audio book version, because hearing Carrie read this aloud must be a scream....more

Do you have a friend, who no matter how much you like her, you have to acknowledge is a horrible story teller? She tells them with too much back story, and after every overlong vignette concludes she pauses expectantly waiting for you to crack up at just how hysterical it was that Sarah would say that to Jean in line at the supermarket. Well, now you can have that experience in book form, written by someone who isn't even your friend.

“I didnt realize I actually had post-traumatic stress disorder at the time, but why would I think I had that? Anyway, how would I know which was post-traumatic stress, which is addiction, which is bipolar, which is Libra?”

Carrie Fishers unending wit and charm shine through this quick, fun read. I highly suggest reading this before watching her Wishful Drinking special as it's nearly word for word in most parts, with the book adding a few extra stories here and there. It's heartbreaking that she left us so soon but thank goodness she left behind some great books to keep us company.

It is not often one gets the chance to read the memoirs of someone who has has the dubious distinction of having been made into a Pez dispenser. In Wishful Drinking, Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher has plenty of stories to tell about that and many other fascinating subjects including being raised by famous, scandal-plagued parents, her drug abuse and mental disorder, marriage to Paul Simon, her recent electroconvulsive therapy, and what it's like when a gay republican dies in your bed.

Carrie FisherIt is not often one gets the chance to read the memoirs of someone who has has the dubious distinction of having been made into a Pez dispenser. In Wishful Drinking, Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher has plenty of stories to tell about that and many other fascinating subjects including being raised by famous, scandal-plagued parents, her drug abuse and mental disorder, marriage to Paul Simon, her recent electroconvulsive therapy, and what it's like when a gay republican dies in your bed.

Carrie Fisher is a very, very funny person, and I frequently laughed out loud while reading this book. Her life is jam-packed with outrageous moments - who else can claim their mother called Cary Grant to counsel them about LSD? As with much good comedy, Fisher's is born of excruciating pain, in her case made all the more extreme by her bi-polar disorder. But she appears to have come out the other side of her illness and suffering, and we can safely enjoy her stories - and the genuine bits of wisdom within them - because of it.

My primary complaint about this book is that it was too short. Because it is based on her one-woman show of the same title, it doesn't follow the general conventions of memoir, giving only quick treatment to most of the topics she discusses. You know she has a lot more material when being in rehab with Ozzy Osborne only merits half a line, and her Star Wars experiences could likely have filled a whole book instead of just a short chapter. Because it's also written with the rhythm of a performance, I suspect I might have preferred the audiobook on this one so that I could catch the full nuance of her skilled delivery. But if you've ever felt a burning desire to know why it's a bad idea to wear a bra in space, you'll definitely want to check this out. ...more

This is a short audiobook that my husband and I listened to in the course of one morning - it is basically a studio recording of a one-woman show that Carrie Fisher did for a while. It is about her life, looking back after electro-shock therapy had discarded some of her memories (terrifying to realize they are still using this treatment!!). She is so funny in how she talks about her father's dalliances and her mother's lifestyle. I do wish the audio engineer had her re-record a few of the partsThis is a short audiobook that my husband and I listened to in the course of one morning - it is basically a studio recording of a one-woman show that Carrie Fisher did for a while. It is about her life, looking back after electro-shock therapy had discarded some of her memories (terrifying to realize they are still using this treatment!!). She is so funny in how she talks about her father's dalliances and her mother's lifestyle. I do wish the audio engineer had her re-record a few of the parts where she is shouting, but I get it, she has a loud voice. I didn't know all that much about Carrie Fisher but enjoyed this just the same, perhaps more with all the surprises I experienced in not knowing!

I love Carrie's stories. They are funny and interesting. She has a way of bringing out poignant moments amid some absurd situation. She did a lot of living. There is something interesting about seeing what life is like for people who grow up with famous parents. From the outside it looks amazing and she gives a more rounded picture. There are some scenes that overlap with the princess diaries and I wonder if that was on purpose or if that was simply the electro shock therapy. The few repeated stI love Carrie's stories. They are funny and interesting. She has a way of bringing out poignant moments amid some absurd situation. She did a lot of living. There is something interesting about seeing what life is like for people who grow up with famous parents. From the outside it looks amazing and she gives a more rounded picture. There are some scenes that overlap with the princess diaries and I wonder if that was on purpose or if that was simply the electro shock therapy. The few repeated stories always come with a new twist and insight. She seems to own her choices and she finds the funny in them. Celebrity opens doors for you in life; I didn't know she married Paul Simon - where have I been. Thanks for sharing Carrie!...more

This is a helluva good memoir! I finished it in one day. Longer review to come ASAP.

Some more thoughts on Wishful Drinking.

I've read several of Carrie Fisher's novels (I recommend Postcards from the Edge) but her memoir is much more fun. It's written in her droll, self-deprecating style and covers her life growing up the daughter of famous parents; the Princess Leia years; her marriages and finally being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. "My diagnosis was manic depression. I think today they callThis is a helluva good memoir! I finished it in one day. Longer review to come ASAP.

Some more thoughts on Wishful Drinking.

I've read several of Carrie Fisher's novels (I recommend Postcards from the Edge) but her memoir is much more fun. It's written in her droll, self-deprecating style and covers her life growing up the daughter of famous parents; the Princess Leia years; her marriages and finally being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. "My diagnosis was manic depression. I think today they call it bipolar disorder - so you might say I swing both ways."

At the end of the book, Carrie makes a plea for more tolerance regarding mental illness. She writes that she is baffled that there is still is so much stigma regarding mental illness. "At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you're living with this illness and functioning at all, it's something to be proud of, not ashamed of."

This is a quick read and I finished the book wishing I could be her friend. She is very funny. Well, as Carrie says, you get the gist of my drift!

Now that Carrie has passed away, I'm glad once more that I read this book and encourage everyone to read it too. Very sad that she died so young (she was 60) and her mom, Debbie Reynolds, died of a broken heart a few days later. May they both Rest In Peace. ...more

Wishful Drinking is the saddest biography I've ever read. I'm sure die-hard fans of Carrie Fisher may enjoy and appreciate this book, but if you're looking for some fun celebrity comic-relief, definitely pass this one up.

Wishful Drinking begins with Carrie Fisher explaining how proud she is to be starting her life over at the age of fifty-two after having undergone electroshock therapy. She states how she can't remember much of her life up until the writing of Wishful Drinking, and also tries toWishful Drinking is the saddest biography I've ever read. I'm sure die-hard fans of Carrie Fisher may enjoy and appreciate this book, but if you're looking for some fun celebrity comic-relief, definitely pass this one up.

Wishful Drinking begins with Carrie Fisher explaining how proud she is to be starting her life over at the age of fifty-two after having undergone electroshock therapy. She states how she can't remember much of her life up until the writing of Wishful Drinking, and also tries to spin bipolar disorder into something normal, light and humorous.

Carrie Fisher sprinkles random anecdotes about her life throughout Wishful Drinking, all of which aren't funny at all. I understand she is trying to maintain a positive outlook on her alcoholic, drug-ridden life, but her writing isn't humbling at all; just boastful. If Fisher had reflected more on what she's learned and how she's overcome her problems, then Wishful Drinking might have been more redeeming. Instead, her biography comes across as pathetic.

In Hollywood there are many existing celebrities whose parents are celebrities as well, but despite being born into a whirlwind of stardom, the stronger personalities do eventually grow up at some point.

When I originally saw Wishful Drinking in the bookstore, I thought to myself, "Wow! Princess Leia is finally going to come forward and share with the world how she overcame her drug and alcohol problems because she's finally grown up and learned something!" Boy was I wrong!

I recommend Wishful Drinking only to the faithful fans of Carrie Fisher....more

A friend let me know about this wonderful audiobook,and I'm so glad she did. I loved it! Loved listening to Carrie's voice for three hours straight. She was so narural as a narrator. And despite talking about very diffucult things,did it with humor. I found myself laughing out loud many times.

Being a Star Wars fan,of course my favourite parts were when she talked about that. At the end of the book she reads the,now classic,line of her asking help from Obi Wan. And then goes "I can't forget thatA friend let me know about this wonderful audiobook,and I'm so glad she did. I loved it! Loved listening to Carrie's voice for three hours straight. She was so narural as a narrator. And despite talking about very diffucult things,did it with humor. I found myself laughing out loud many times.

Being a Star Wars fan,of course my favourite parts were when she talked about that. At the end of the book she reads the,now classic,line of her asking help from Obi Wan. And then goes "I can't forget that stupid fucking hologram speech! That's why I did dope!" It made me lol at the supermarket check out. That was Carrie. She talked about her drug use and mental illness,hard stuff. But she had this awesome sense of humor.

I'm happy I listened to this. It made me feel a little bit closer to her,getting to know her more. For me,she'll always be princess Leia,and then later general Organa,and that's okay. I know there were so much more to her,but her role as Leia meant the world to me and had a huge impact on me. I'm grateful for this short audiobook for making me think about her again,and giving me a reason to write about her. And about Leia. Fisher did great job with talking about mental illness,ending the silence surrounding it. She will be greatly missed. Go listen to this,you won't regret it. ...more

It's the incomparable Carrie Fisher...need I type more? She automatically gets a five from me. There will NEVER be another lady like her—not now, not ever—as Carrie's emotional fearlessness and infectious wit was/is one-of-a-kind priceless. From my view, she was so much more than Princess Leia; an intelligent thinker (and hilarious writer) who came equipped with soaring feelings and a refreshing take-no-prisoners attitude about life. Great book, great gal. Up next: Shockaholic. Yeah; I'm on a CaIt's the incomparable Carrie Fisher...need I type more? She automatically gets a five from me. There will NEVER be another lady like her—not now, not ever—as Carrie's emotional fearlessness and infectious wit was/is one-of-a-kind priceless. From my view, she was so much more than Princess Leia; an intelligent thinker (and hilarious writer) who came equipped with soaring feelings and a refreshing take-no-prisoners attitude about life. Great book, great gal. Up next: Shockaholic. Yeah; I'm on a Carrie kick....more

This has to be one of the funniest biographies I've ever read. Fischer's frankness reminded me of Esther Williams' autobiography The Million Dollar Mermaid. And what she does tell is pretty cut and dry with no euphemisms (for example Fischer describes that when Elizabeth Taylor's husband died in a tragic accident, her father "consoled her with his penis").

It's a very short read and that might be my biggest complaint. "You wouldn't believe what I'm NOT telling you," Fischer teases in her book. AnThis has to be one of the funniest biographies I've ever read. Fischer's frankness reminded me of Esther Williams' autobiography The Million Dollar Mermaid. And what she does tell is pretty cut and dry with no euphemisms (for example Fischer describes that when Elizabeth Taylor's husband died in a tragic accident, her father "consoled her with his penis").

It's a very short read and that might be my biggest complaint. "You wouldn't believe what I'm NOT telling you," Fischer teases in her book. And I know that she's leaving out tons because whenever she's on a talk show promoting her book she always has something new to say. For instance, on the set of Star Wars, Mark Hamill was a huge fan of Alec Guinness. And eventually he got so annoyed with Mark Hamill asking him all these questions, Alec gave him 20 pounds to go away. Which Mark actually did...after Alec signed the 20 pounds.

When on NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!, Peter Sagal asked her when she was going to come out with the full uncut biography. She replied, "When all the people those stories relate to are dead. Including ME!"So I will be left to consider how big the uncut biography of Carrie Fischer is in comparison to Esther Williams' and (god forbid) Bill Clinton's biographies. I only hope that she does eventually write a full biography because that would be a fantastic read. But then again maybe she wants some secrets to stay secret. And for a "Hollywood Inbreed" celebrity whose life was always in the open, she probably deserves that privacy.

Picked this up on a whim at the used bookstore. Glad I did it was a quick, highly entertaining read. It's based on the show Carrie Fisher was doing at the time and reads like that. It definitely seems a bit scattered at times but given the subject matter it's to be expected. I really enjoyed Carrie's perspective on addiction and mental illness. Plus, her perspective on celebrity was great. Check out this quote...

"Anyway, at a certain point in my early twenties, my mother started to become worriePicked this up on a whim at the used bookstore. Glad I did it was a quick, highly entertaining read. It's based on the show Carrie Fisher was doing at the time and reads like that. It definitely seems a bit scattered at times but given the subject matter it's to be expected. I really enjoyed Carrie's perspective on addiction and mental illness. Plus, her perspective on celebrity was great. Check out this quote...

"Anyway, at a certain point in my early twenties, my mother started to become worried about my obviously ever-increasing drug ingestion. So she ended up doing what any concerned parent would do. She called Cary Grant."

I didn't expect to enjoy this, since I hadn't been able to get into her last book, The Princess Diarist. However, I found myself frequently laughing out loud at her irreverence, profanity, candid look at being bipolar, and her oddball take on her life and life in general.

Carrie Fisher was an American actress, screenwriter and author, most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. Fisher was the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. She had one daughter, Billie Lourd (b. 1992).

Her final film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, was released on December 15, 2017 and is dedicated to her.

“One of the things that baffles me (and there are quite a few) is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls. Not unlike a tour of Afghanistan (though the bombs and bullets, in this case, come from the inside). At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you're living with this illness and functioning at all, it's something to be proud of, not ashamed of.They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication.”
—
254 likes

“Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell.”
—
233 likes